Woman, dog escape flames unharmed

Fire officials say someone intentionally set an Aurora house on fire while a woman was sleeping inside.

KMGH

Woman and dog escape house fire in Aurora

KMGH

Copyright 2014 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Copyright 2014 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Photo: 7NEWS photojournalist Pete Burd

Copyright 2014 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AURORA, Colo. - Fire officials say someone intentionally set an Aurora house on fire while a woman was sleeping inside early Tuesday morning.

The woman and her dog escaped the burning home at 20304 E. Vassar Avenue in The Conservatory neighborhood at about 3 a.m.

Hilary Pierce, whose former husband is the listed owner of the home, told 7NEWS that as the female renter fled the flames she saw fresh graffiti on the walls inside the house, spray-paint cans and a sliding door that was open.

Neighbors reported an explosion to 911. A woman living across the street said the blast shook her home.

Firefighters initially went into the home to fight the fire, but were quickly forced to retreat.

"It was unsafe for the crews to operate in the structure, so they had to withdraw and fight the fire defensively," Lord explained, saying that firefighters remained outside until the flames was extinguished.

No firefighters were hurt, Lord said.

"The fire was intentionally set," Lord said. Investigators have determined the fire was started in the garage of the home.